Lights, Camera....and more contest action!

This week, Sandy and I will be giving away copies of What I Really Want to do is Direct, our second novel for adults.

While Speechless was loosely based on some of Sandy's experiences as a government speechwriter, this book was inspired by my experiences in the film business. And though this is a work of fiction, certain events in the book did really happen to me in real life. In fact, part of the fun of writing this was seeing if Sandy could guess which of the crazy happenings on set were true, and which ones I invented.

For those of you who’ve already read it, I’ll let you in on a few secrets. The story about the “alien” who insists on staying in character—to the point of trying to sneak his costume home for the weekend—is totally based in reality. In real life, the character was actually a knight and the actor tried to sneak his custom-forged armor off set so he could wear it around town and stay in character.

And then there’s the famous diva character from the book who tapes up her face every day to achieve the look of a facelift. She too exists in real life, although I can’t give you her name because some secrets just can’t leave the set. But this I can say: when you’re reading the book and you’re trying to decide which stories might be real, for the most part, the crazier the story, the closer it comes to reality.

Now, I’m not saying that everyone in the film business is crazy, although quite a few could benefit from some time on the couch. Like the well-known director who brings his teddy bear collection to set, props each one up in a director’s chair in front of the monitors and consults them regularly about the shot. Or the A list actor who reduced someone in craft services to tears because her egg white omelet contained air bubbles. Or the other A list actor who had someone in craft services fired for not washing grapes.

But I digress. My point is, for the most part movie making only seems like a flakey business. It’s actually run with an almost military-like precision. The hours are long, and the jobs are demanding. Mistakes cost a lot of money, so people are frequently fired. When you combine that tension with a lack of sleep, strong artistic personalities, and settings that run the gamut from depression-era brothels to futuristic zombie colonies, it’s not surprising that crazy things happen.

And not just to actors and directors. As part of a film crew, abnormal just becomes normal. After all, it’s still work, whether you’re reporting for duty on a mountain top, a sewage factory, or a ship on the Atlantic. Still, it sometimes surprises me when someone mentions my own extraordinary experiences. Recently, when some camera assistants were swapping war stories, one of my colleagues brought up the time I was nearly swept overboard by the backwash of a helicopter landing on a coastguard cutter. Then I reminded my colleagues about the time an overzealous camera operator tried to get a better shot of a grizzly bear and inadvertently shoved a colleague into the electrical fence that was meant to protect him from the bear.

What I really wanted to do in this book was give readers a look at the other side of filmmaking—where there’s little fame, less glamor but a lot of other rewards.

Here's what it says on the back cover:

Roxanne Hastings has wanted to be a director ever since she started storyboarding home movies and demanding that her teacher recast her grade-school play.

The climb up the film crew ranks has been slow and grueling, but Rox has made it to assistant cinematographer. It's quite a coup, but what she really wants to do is direct.

Rox is convinced that the big budget action movie rolling into town is her big break. But then longtime friend, Libby McIssac, offers Rox a screenplay and the best seat in the house: the director's chair. Given the chance to call the shots, Rox does what any wannabe filmmaker would do. She says yes. To both projects. (And the one guy she knows she shouldn't have.)

Can Rox juggle two lives? Either way, it will be an award-winning performance!

Despite the back lot backdrop, Roxanne is just another gal trying to get ahead in the world. It’s a story that anyone can relate to—especially people with big dreams that keep colliding with reality.

If you’d like to find out what happens to Roxanne, drop us a line or leave us a comment. And if you have a crazy story about YOUR work you’d like to share, we’d love to hear it.

Last week, we loved the comment we received about The Black Sheep covers from Carmen Alexis Tsang. Carmen, you've won the copy of the new Black Sheep paperback, so please drop us another line with your address and we will send you the book.